NEWBURYPORT — Just the sheer fact that the word “Newburyport” runs across the front of their jerseys already puts a target on the back of the girls lacrosse team. With how successful the program has been over the past two decades, the Clippers go into each game knowing they’ll get their opponent’s best.
Now add in that they’re trying to defend their Division 3 State Championship.
There’s a certain amount of pressure that comes with all of it.
This entire spring, though, Newburyport has handled everything with poise. And the second-seeded Clippers certainly looked the part of the defening champs during Monday’s blowout win over visiting No. 31 Medway in the first round, 18-3.
“That’s what we’ven been talking about,” said Newburyport coach Catherine Batchelder. “Making sure and recognizing that we’re kind of in our second season, and we want to make sure the intensity is a notch above what it’s been. I thought we came out strong today, but we made some mistakes that we’ll need to clean up before the next game.”
There’s of course an acknowledgment of what happened a year ago.
Heck, many of the same faces are still on the roster.
But the Clippers also know that this year’s team hasn’t accomplished its final goal yet. A lot of the athletes are already State Champions, yes. But they’re champions in 2023, not yet in 2024.
“We talk about it a little bit, but we try to keep it to ‘That was last year, and this is a new team,'” said senior goalie Kate Keller. “This year we have to win the State Championship ourselves, that’s not something this team has done yet. So we try to keep it a little bit seperate.”
A Northwestern commit, Keller made one save in the first half of Monday’s game before getting the second half off. Newburyport (17-2) had already built a commanding 11-0 lead at the time, with the final 24 minutes of the game being played under a running clock.
Junior Reese Bromby led the offense with 6 goals and 1 assist, and Lilly Pons, Maddie Heath, Olivia McDonald and Emma MacIsaac each scored twice. Senior captain Rita Cahalane fired home a goal and had a team-high four assists, and Amelia Price, Josie Palma and Blaire Fox were behind the team’s final tallies.
The Clippers will now host No. 15 Holliston in the Division 3 Round of 16, and likely on Wednesday in another back-to-back with the boys lacrosse team (time still TBD).
Newburyport boys crush Archbishop Williams
The Newburyport boys similarly had little issue with their Division 3 first round game on Monday.
The trio of Carter Scott, Davis Pons and Owen Kreuz each scored four goals, and the No. 4 Clippers cruised past No. 29 Archbishop Williams, 19-2. It was a 10-1 game at halftime, with the majority of the second half plated with a running clock.
Colin Fuller scored twice for the Clippers (14-5) while also adding two assists, and Duncan Coir (2a), Henry Waddell, George Loomes and Worth Green all had goals. Eli Sirota finished with a team-high three assists, and both Pons and faceoff man Matt Page chipped in two.
Newburyport will now host No. 20 Wilmington in the Division 3 Round of 16, likely on Wednesday in another double-header with the girls team.
Newburyport 18, Medway 3 (Girls)
Division 3 First Round
Goals: Reese Bromby 6, Lilly Pons 2, Maddie Heath 2, Olivia McDonald 2, Emma MacIsaac 2, Rita Cahalane, Amelia Price, Josie Palma, Blaire Fox
Assists: Cahalane 4, Pons, Bromby, McDonald, Price, Palma
Saves: Kate Keller 1
Medway (4-16): 0 3 — 3
Newburyport (17-2): 11 7 — 18
Newburyport 19, Archbishop Williams 2 (Boys)
Division 3 First Round
Goals: Davis Pons 4, Carter Scott 4, Owen Kreuz 4, Colin Fuller 2, Duncan Coir, Henry Waddell, George Loomes, Worth Green
Assists: Eli Sirota 3, Pons 2, Fuller 2, Coir 2, Matt Page 2, Scott, Luke MacIsaac
Saves: Brendan Grossman
Archbishop Williams (11-11): 0 1 0 1 — 2
Newburyport (14-5): 7 3 6 3 — 19